The Anomalous Moon
by Harle is the best
Summary: The time between Lynx and Harle arriving at the manor, and when Serge makes his entrance, following Glenn and Harle.


Authors note:  
  
As per my pen name, this story will naturally be about Harle. After playing through the game again, and reading some fics on this site, I decided to use Glenn too. And I always thought a Glenn and Harle interaction would be amusing, at the least. So uh, let's get started.  
  
The Anomalous Moon  
  
~  
  
He stood back out of the way, discreetly, and watched with mild interest. These were the visitors from Porre...unlike anybody he had seen before. A large, panther-like demi-human, and a smallish...clown? General Viper was making the faceless introduction, the same one he made every time there were visitors. Riddle was there, Karsh was leaning against the adjacent wall, and a few curious dragoons were playing importance in the side doors. They parted now as Viper led the guests to their rooms.  
  
Glenn fell in step with Karsh, heading the opposite direction. He had been uncharacteristically complacent as of late, and it troubled Glenn. He asked a question now, and had to repeat himself.  
  
"...I was asking what you had planned for this evening. Anything wrong, Karsh?"  
  
The man in question gave a slight chuckle. "Not a'tall Glenn...not a'tall. Just thinkin'."  
  
Glenn feigned contention and bid farewell to his older friend as he walked into room. Weighing his options and his pockets, he decided to skimp a trip to Termina and see what Orcha had managed for dinner.  
  
* * *  
  
He was almost alone in the barracks...he might as well have been, given the nature of his sleeping comrade. All of the other dragoons were living it up in the pub...it was Friday night, after all. Through tabletop rumors he had deduced the newcomers names to be Lynx and Harle, respectively. What they were here for was mostly speculation, and less helpful. Much would be revealed at tomorrow night's banquet, to honor their stay.  
  
Glenn lay back in bed, ready for sleep. Right before it grasped him, however, the faintest of sounds reached his ears. It was a foreign sound, contrasting with the quiet crackling of the candles. He waited a few moments and the hair on the back of his neck prickled. Deciding this was a tad ridiculous, he stood up and grabbed his blade.  
  
He paused in the doorway, hearing the sound again. This time it was more distinct...it sounded like a bell. Shadows danced over the walls of the hall as he crept out. The ambience of the place was always a bit spooky, but now there was a tension, a vibrancy, in the air...he heard a step behind him and he whipped around, locking eyes with the jester girl, Harle.  
  
"Je suis désolé...sorry. Did I frighten you?" the harlequin asked, a twinkle in her eye, knowing the answer to her question. Glenn lowered his eyes and his sword, a bit embarrassed. "No, not at all. I just heard a noise..." Harle nodded, indicating he need not say more. "Je was just touring ze mansion.Monsieur Lynx y Monsieur Viper are off dizcussing matters."  
  
Glenn snuck a look at the clock on the wall, but said nothing. "Well, unless there is something I could assist you with...I should be getting to sleep," he finished, a bit unsure of himself with this unusual stranger in front of him.  
  
"Merci...there iz nothing. Good night, Glenn," she said with a smile, as she turned and sashayed (A/N - Don't you just love the way she walks??^^) away. Glenn stared after her, a bit shaken by the whole incident, and by the fact that she knew his name.  
  
* * *  
  
The day dawned early. Somehow, it always seemed to. Harle stretched her body underneath the soft, satiny sheets and cleared her eyes. Getting up, she dressed in her attire that screamed of effulgence and wondered how much time would have to be bided before Serge arrived. Since no amount of rhetorical rumination would reveal the answer, Harle finished dressing and opened her door.  
  
The corridor was empty. The only sound audible was the low tone of voices and the occasional scrape of a fork from below. Walking over to Lynx's door, she gave a slight knock. No sound emancipated from within. She opened the heavy wooden frame and poked her head in, wondering where Lynx was. The room looked completely undisturbed...shrugging, she turned around and walked downstairs.  
  
* * *  
  
Glenn walked out of Zippa's and Zappa's blacksmith, sheathing his new steel sword. He was always curious as to how two people named Zappa and Zippa could meet, get married, and name their child Karsh. It was, to Glenn, a great mystery.  
  
He strode by his old house and, feeling nostalgic, leaned against the adjoining wall. Memories of Dario, his father, and some of his mother flooded back in a torrent. Dario was a constant part of his thoughts. Losing his brother had been the worst blow of all. Dario...  
  
He shook his head, as if to clear it. He thought he'd make a preliminary visit to their graves, before Riddle asked him. She always seemed to like to, around this time. Of course, there always had to be a bellflower.  
  
There was a crowd. It was more like a small knot of people, but it could be called a crowd. There seemed to be a heated dispute over the ownership rights of a Viper Churro. As he neared the seemingly one-sided fracas, he was a bit shocked to see who it was.  
  
"...I saw you! You walked right by and stole one!" the angry Churro man was bellowing.  
  
"Zut! I did nothing of ze zort!" a rather flustered Harlequin sputtered.  
  
A few more comments were exchanged before Glenn intervened with a rather trite comment. "What seems to be the problem here?"  
  
Harle bounced to the Dragoons side. "This vulgaire man iz insulting moi intergrity!"  
  
"I'm telling you, she swiped a Churro!" He turned to the crowd for support. A few shrugs were all he got.  
  
A slightly bemused Glenn forked over 50 gil. "I apologize of behalf of my friend. It won't happen again."  
  
Harle muttered something unintelligible as they walked away.  
  
Glenn looked over at his companion as soon as they were out of earshot. "Why did you leave the manor? Or ask for an escort?"  
  
"Je am perfectly capable of going to town, az they say. I waz perfectly fine until zat man mistook moi for a dog."  
  
Glenn nodded dubiously. "Next time, please, ask me or another dragoon to accompany you. Now let us return to the manor," said Glenn, completely forgetting about the visit to the gravesite. 


End file.
